Battle Cry
by rowaNyx
Summary: This is a songfic based on the song Battle Cry by Beth Crowley. It's mainly a 3rd limited POV of Jack, but there is one that's 3rd limited POV of the wind. I probably didn't do this fic justice, but it's my first songfic. Please R&R!


**A/N and Disclaimer: So I recently fell back into the hole of the ROTG fandom and joined the Beth Crowley fandom. And this song of hers, Battle Cry, just really seemed to fit with Jack super well. So, I kind of tried to sort of make a thing. And I know it's actually based on the Throne of Fire series, but just roll with me. This is my first songfic and I'm not sure it shows what a songfic is, but here it goes!**

Curling up with Baby Tooth, Jack sighed. It's not like he could really provide warmth, being the winter spirit he is. He leaned against the wall of the crevice, which reminded him of lying on the rocks by his lake. Oh, how he wished he was there instead. But instead, he was in Antarctica, with Baby Tooth resting in his hoodie pocket, probably feeling his bones. Jack was having a hard time finding food lately, and it's not like he would ever steal. At least he's immortal. Or, was. He never felt pain like when Pitch snapped his staff before. Maybe that was a sign that he was able to die now.

 _I have no heart, just ice and stone_

 _Made up of nails and teeth and bone_

Maybe Bunny was right, he thought bleakly. He wasn't a guardian. He didn't protect the kids. He hurt them, killed them with his blizzards. He even caused Jamie to lose a tooth! Jamie, his favorite kid. Maybe all his snow days were just guilt about the death he caused.

 _And I know exactly what I'm for_

 _To hurt and destroy and nothing more_

Jack looked up at the Man in the Moon. Is this why he was here? Was this all he could do? It seemed too late to do anything about it. And even if he had the time, what could he do? Easter was ruined. The Guardians' followers were probably at a record-breaking low. Sandy was gone. He was the only one who seemed to like Jack and wasn't just trying to make nice because of the Man in the Moon.

 _And if it's true that I was made_

 _I still don't know if I can change_

Once Baby Tooth touched the box, he was immediately thrown into a barrage of visions that he realized were memories of his life before the ice. He had a sister! He saved her! He - the Man in the Moon was right, he was a _guardian_. But, the other guardians didn't want him. Bunny even punched him! What was he supposed to do?

 _But something has stirred_

 _A beast has awakened_

 _Opened a door_

 _There's no mistaking_

 _Waging a war_

 _It's fighting inside of me_

Fight. He was supposed to fight. He needed to get out of here. He needed to get back to Burgess! He needed to protect the kids, be a guardian. He needed to protect _Jamie_ , the boy he seemed to be spending most of his time near lately. The first human he'd approached in even _he_ didn't know how long. His _friend_.

He looked around, trying to find a way out of the crevice he'd landed in. He noticed the broken pieces of his staff and rushed over, something prodding him, telling him to put them together. With the frost forming over the old wood again, he took flight, taking care with Baby Tooth.

 _So hear my battle cry_

 _I'm out for blood to claim what's mine_

Briefly, he wondered if he should have left the Guardians in the first place. Because he flew after the voice he now knew to be his sister, he was separated from the others. Because he left, Pitch's nightmares were able to ruin Easter. Because he left, Baby Tooth was _here_ , with him, rather than with Tooth, who could use the comfort of the _one_ fairy that wasn't captured because _he_ stopped attacking after saving Baby Tooth. It really _was_ all his fault if he thought about it.

 _Finally questioning_

 _If I am my own worst_

 _I am my own worst_

 _I am my own worst enemy_

But then his thoughts drifted back to Jamie and his friends, to the fun he'd caused and shared, albeit invisible to the kids. Jack had given up on this kind of thing. A boy could only take being walked through so many times. He had resigned himself to watching, never getting too close to the humans.

 _I never thought that I could love_

 _Strangers at night were good enough_

But something just seemed to pull him in toward the group of kids. He couldn't understand the pull, what with him not trying to interact in a couple centuries. He tried to ignore it at first but found himself much happier once he stopped. Once he gave in, causing snow days and whipping up snowballs, he couldn't deny how much fun he had with them.

 _But love's not a thing you get to choose_

 _Try to resist you'll always lose_

No longer reflecting on the day he rose from the lake, he was free to think past those all those lonely years. He was able to enjoy time with the world he'd once been a part of, rather than floating from country to country. Instead of flying over towns, he swept through streets, past houses and stores as he began creating a play-zone.

 _I made a deal to sell my soul_

 _But lately I have dared to hope_

Clutching his staff tighter, his thoughts turned dark. Oh, what he'd do when he got his hands on Pitch. He hurt all the kids. He took all the fairies. He _killed_ Sandy! _Sandy,_ he thought as he shook his head. Sandy was always so kind. He wouldn't want Jack to do that. Not even to Pitch. Jack frowned, continuing his flight with unsure plans for when he landed.

 _That something has stirred_

 _A beast has awakened_

 _Opened a door_

 _There's no mistaking_

 _Waging a war_

 _It's fighting inside of me_

But one thing's for certain. He would protect Jamie and save his friends. He would save the Guardians, because someone had to. _Maybe_ , he thought, _that was why he was here. They needed someone whose power came from something other than believers. Someone to fight even when Pitch's strength grew._ He shot off again, ready to fight for his life, his friends, his new coworkers. For his everything.

 _So hear my battle cry_

 _I'm out for blood to claim what's mine_

He was an _idiot_. He should have just worked civilly from the start. The Man in the Moon chose him to help them, but he just had to let his rivalry with Bunny get in the way. Sometimes he really knew how to screw everything up, didn't he? But now he would fix his mistakes of the past and do better. And hopefully, he could make up with the Guardians.

 _Finally_

 _Questioning_

 _If I am my own worst_

 _I am my own worst_

 _I am my own worst enemy_

The wind kept itself at Jack's back, helping to push him toward his goal, and guiding him to land gently. The wind was always there, invisible even to the other invisible. It tried to help, comfort, as it spent time with Jack, listening to the boy talk to what he thought was himself. The wind would preen if it could. Jack always seemed happy in the air, like he could do anything, let go of his worries and just _be_.

 _Tell my secrets to the wind_

 _Flying I feel infinite_

Energized by the realization of his center, Jack took Jamie to collect his friends. And once they could see him too, he felt an even greater need to protect them. His first believers. But he got worried at the storm near Pitch, even more, when they stepped in front of Jack and the other Guardians. Maybe grabbing them was a mistake. They were just kids, and Pitch seemed ready to kill.

 _That something has stirred_

 _A beast has awakened_

 _Opened a door_

 _There's no mistaking_

 _Waging a war_

 _It's fighting inside of me_

But then Sandy returned, and he was ready to fight again. He yelled, throwing ice at nightmares as he flew towards Pitch. Grunting from the efforts, he launched an attack on the man himself. Following Tooth to get near where Pitch rolled from North's attack, he was overcome with joy at the sight of his favorite golden spirit.

 _Yeah,_ he thought, _this feels right. I have something here and I'm not going to screw it up again._ He smiled bigger than ever as he said the oath, making his Guardianship official.

 _So hear my battle cry_

 _I'm out for blood to claim what's mine_

 _Finally_

 _Questioning_

 _If I am my own worst_

 _I am my own worst_

 _I am my own worst enemy_

He felt content, happy. Everything he ever wanted, he had now. He had friends. He had _believers_. He found his center and gained an understanding of his purpose. He didn't have to worry about being alone _ever_ again, because if there was ever another attack, well, let's just say that person would learn to _fear_ the sound of his battle cry.


End file.
